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Relief And Recovery From Back Pain: Osteopathy & Yoga

Considered the most important part of the skeletal structure, the spine is also the most susceptible to injury and stress-related pains. Truth be told, most people have very little idea of how to properly care for their backs to prevent these pains.

For a lot of people, incorrect or prolonged static posture is the main cause of back pains – whether they’re standing up, lying down or seated. Most of us are inclined to slouch because the position seems the most comfortable. It’s not a serious problem, though, but slouching, like any mechanically inefficient position, for prolonged periods, really does strain the back. Another probable cause is additional weight; it’s quite common for overweight people to suffer from back pains mainly because of the extra pressure on the joints. The third possible cause is injury; a bad fall, an accident or strong impact can injure the bones as well as the cartilage that serves as the bones’ shock absorber. The last cause could be a particular disease or illness that can either weaken the tissues, or cause irritation to the nerve endings.

Many are quick to take ibuprofen, acetaminophen and other pain relievers to alleviate pain, but an effective and organic solution involving active movement therapies and education is now considered best practice. These days, those who prefer a more natural way of addressing pain seek exercise therapies, such as yoga or pilates. Active treatment via exercise has the strongest supporting evidence for back pain recovery, however, before starting an intensive yoga program it may be prudent to get medical advice and professional treatment to ensure your yoga practice will be safe and effective. There are a number of musculoskeletal health professional that can properly diagnose your back problem. Osteopaths are particularly well-trained to address spinal conditions and be very effective in treating a wide variety of back pains.

But what is osteopathy? Essentially it’s a philosophy and form of allied healthcare. It focuses on the interworking of the structure and function of the body, like the body’s natural ability to heal itself. This type of treatment facilitates the healing process through manual and manipulative therapy. Successful treatments provided by an experienced and thoroughly skilled osteopath have been turning to cannot be discounted. Many who have been suffering from excruciating back pains for a long time share how the gradual effects of osteopathy led them to full recovery. Likewise, they express how impressed they are with the way this treatment activated the body’s natural ability to heal itself, recover, and regain balance. Lastly, their exposure to the principles of osteopathy increased their understanding of how the body functions towards healing without the introduction of excessive pharmaceutical medicine, therefore allowing them to make changes in the way they use their bodies and improve their yoga practice.

The 3 main health benefits of yoga for men

The growing popularity of yoga especially among women has resulted in a big percentage of men shying away from it because they see it as a woman’s thing. This is however a big misconception as yoga has some really good health benefits for men. In fact, many men will likely to turn to it once they get to read about these tremendous benefits that this article will highlight.

Here are the 3 main health benefits of yoga for men.

Yoga helps improve your sex life

If you have been experiencing a poor sex life which is common for men then yoga is the remedy for you. Yoga has actually been proven to improve sex drive in men. The various yoga exercise that a person does improves various parts of their physical, mental and spiritual body and these play a direct role in improving various aspect of their sex life such as confidence, sexual desire and drive, erection, ejaculation control and satisfaction which ultimately contribute to good sexual performance and with it a good sex life. This is one of the best solutions because its pill free and completely natural and very easy to do. It just requires time and commitment.

Yoga helps prevent injuries

Men are known to engage in many physically demanding activities that often make them prone to various types of injuries. Whether it’s spending time on the pitch playing your favorite sport, in the gym, or lifting furniture in your house, injuries can sneak up on you when doing any form of physical activity. Yoga has been proven to be a good remedy against injuries. The various exercises that help tone the body, strengthen your muscles and improve your flexibility as well as range of motion help relieve tightness, strains and lengthen your muscles. These in turn help protect you from common injuries.

Yoga helps build muscle

Many men have the misconception that the only way to build muscle is by hitting the gym to lift weights. Well, yoga is a more fun alternative which comes with added benefits other than just building muscle. When you practice yoga, you learn to leverage on your natural body weight as well as resistance to build you muscle mass. As you engage in yoga you lengthen your muscles and tissue thereby improving blood flow. This improved blood flow ensures more oxygen gets to your muscles and this helps them recover much faster thereby enabling them to grow.

There are many more tremendous health benefits of yoga for men therefore we encourage you to visit your nearest yoga studio and get to experience these benefits first hand. We guarantee you that this will be your best decision.

The 3 main health benefits of yoga for women

As we have established, yoga has tremendous health benefits that are general to the people practicing it. It’s however important to note that there are health benefits that are specific to women as it helps relieve them from some of the health related issues that are unique to them.

Let’s take a look at the 3 main health benefits of yoga for women.

Yoga helps improve posture

Many women may end up altering their posture for various reasons. It may be the nature of their occupation, the type of shoes they wear, poor seating habits as well as general lack of exercise among many other reasons that ends up affecting their posture. A poor posture in women may result in various health complications such as frequent back pains, difficulty in carrying pregnancies and many other health related complications. Yoga has been proven to be one of the best remedies for this. Frequently practicing yoga helps a woman restore their posture as it helps engage muscles that had become dormant in the body thereby enabling them restore their stability which in turn restores their natural body posture.

Yoga helps overcome hormonal related problems

Many women dread hormonal changes in their body because they come with so many unpleasant health related issues. They may range from painful cramps, fatigue, nausea, to a feeling of low energy and depression. Frequently practicing yoga is a good remedy for this. Because of the various mind and body relaxation exercise, your body learns to overcome some of the unpleasantness that is caused by hormonal changes in your body thereby helping relieve things like cramp pain, fatigue, and the feeling of being low or depressed during this period. When you frequently practice yoga you will realize that you are more relaxed and seldom affected by these hormonal changes in your body.

Yoga helps relieve anxiety and stress

It’s been medically proven that women are more affected by depression than men. Depression can end up causing a lot of negative effects on a woman’s personal and professional life. It’s therefore important for them to find a remedy for it and yoga is one of the best solutions. Through yoga, a woman gets the benefit of learning how to attain complete mind and body relaxation which is very important for relieving anxiety and stress which have been known to contribute to depression. When you start practicing yoga, you will notice these benefits within a couple of weeks.

Women are therefore encouraged to take up yoga as it’s not just a form of exercise but one of the very effective ways of maintaining good health.

5 tips on how to run a successful yoga business

Yoga has become a big business in America because of the increasing demand for more yoga studios by enthusiasts looking to get into yoga and enjoy the great benefits that it comes with. Before you decide to join the bandwagon and start your own yoga business, you must know what it takes to be successful in this business. We therefore would like to share with you a few tips on how to make your business successful.

Here are 5 tips on how to run a successful yoga business.

Ensure that you are true to yourself

Your yoga studio will essentially be your brand and an extension of you, it’s therefore important for it to reflect who you are to your truest form. Pick a yoga philosophy and ensure it’s reflected in the studio environment you create, the type of yoga you offer and the type of students you target. This will help attract the right customer to your studio.

Have a very interactive and vibrant online presence

In today’s digital world, the internet is where you are likely to acquire most of your customers. It’s therefore very important for you to have a very interactive and vibrant online presence and this includes a website and social media site. Let them offer convenience such as the ability for students to register and sign up for classes online.

Be sure to diversify your offering

The best way to keep more and more students enrolling in your yoga studio is by keeping things fresh and exciting. You therefore need to have diversity in the types of yoga you offer and have a wide array of expert instructors coming in to teach your customers. Avoid the monotony of having the same instructors teaching all the classes. In addition to yoga classes, incorporate complementary services such as a massage, a spa or any other complementary service.

Consider adding specialty events

As part of growing your business and your brand, you can also consider organizing specialty events such as workshops and seminars, training for trainers, charity drives that are yoga themed and many more. Here it’s down to how creative and open minded you can get. Just ensure whatever you think of resonates with the demographic you are targeting.

Consider retail items

One of the best ways to diversify your revenue streams is going retail. You can consider retailing items such as malas, yoga apparel, water bottles, books, and many more. Just ensure that they are related to yoga, health and fitness. Just ensure you identify a spot in your studio that is very visible so that every person walking in and out can see what you have on offer.

With these measures in place you are well on your way to running a very successful yoga business.

The 5 important health benefits of yoga

Yoga has become the go to form of exercise and a global sensation for people of all ages and genders because of the many tremendous health benefits that it brings. These are benefits that will help improve various aspects of both your professional and personal life.

Let’s look at the 5 most important health benefits of yoga.

Yoga helps in boosting your immunity

Research has revealed that yoga is very good for boosting your immunity. Because engaging in yoga helps you learn how to master your breathing, improve your circulation, tone your body’s core as well as improve your overall muscle strength among other great improvements to your body, this will ultimately improve your overall health and most important your immunity which helps you fend off illnesses.

Yoga helps in easing migraines

Medical experts have not been able to pinpoint the exact cause of migraines but if you are like many other Americans who frequently experience them, then you know how painful they can get. Yoga has been proven to be a great reliever for migraines. Because yoga helps in teaching balance and complete relaxation of the whole body, this seems to have a direct positive effect in easing migraines.

Yoga boost your sexual performance

Yoga has been proven to improve the sexual performance for both men and women. The various yoga exercise that a person does improves various parts of their physical, mental and spiritual body and these play a direct role in improving various aspect of sex such as confidence, sexual desire, arousal, orgasm and satisfaction which ultimately improve sexual performance.

Yoga promotes better sleep

One of the reasons people suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia is stress, depression, anxiety among other mental disorders that don’t allow the mind and body to relax. Yoga is the ultimate exercise to achieve complete relaxation of both the body and the mind and this has a tremendous effect in relieving stress, depression and anxiety thereby enabling a person to sleep better.

Yoga promotes healthier eating

One of the main reasons people don’t eat healthy is because of lack of self-control. Many people generally don’t have the will power to control their various craving for unhealthy junk food. Regular yoga exercise will teach you to learn control of both your body and mind and this comes in handy when you are trying to adopt a healthier dietary approach. The level of self-awareness that yoga instills in you helps you learn how to gain much greater control over your eating habits.

There are of course very many benefits of yoga that you will get to experience, but these are ultimately the 5 most important ones worth mentioning.

Here are 5 recommended yoga poses to ease your back pain

Many people suffer from back pain. It may be as a result of poor posture or injuries sustained from various types of accidents. We have some good news! Yoga can help ease some of your pain. There are various yoga poses that help in enhancing circulation and stretching which are crucial in pain relief, you just need to know which ones will work best for your back pain.

Here are 5 recommended yoga poses that will help ease your back pain.

Try out the thread the needle pose

The thread the needle pose helps to stretch your hips, your outer thighs, your lower back as well as spine. This is very effective in easing back pain because it normally eases the pressure on your back by loosening your lower body hence the back is not too strained. When your body has a much better full range of motion this has a tremendous effect in easing back pain.

Try out the sphinx pose

Seating a lot and bad posture has been one of the main culprits in causing back pain because it often results in flattening of the lower back. The sphinx pose helps in promoting the natural arch of your lower back and also does wonders when it comes to toning your spine and offering some much needed stimulation to your sacral-lumbar arch.

Try out the supine twist

Back pain can sometimes be the result of too much tension in your back and spine. This is where the supine twist comes in handy. It’s one of the best poses that offer great tension relief to your entire back which includes your spine, as well as your neck. The beauty is that this pose does not require much in from you, all you do is lay down, and ensure you are relaxed and gravity helps in doing the rest.

Try out the cat and cow pose

The cat and cow pose is another simple exercise that doesn’t require much input from you. It’s a simple pose that helps you stretch your hips as well as your entire spine and this helps relieve tension and enhance circulation thereby doing wonders in relieving your back pain.

Try out the downward facing dog

The downward facing dog is one of the best poses that allow you to stretch out your entire body including the back, spine, as well as your hamstrings and this helps in offering some much needed decompression of the spine, back and other muscles thereby relieving pressure and easing your back pain.

Because your back, specifically your lower back plays the role of supporting your entire torso, it’s very important to take good care of it. Make a habit of sitting less and having more movement especially stretching to keep your back safe from pain. If you try out these exercises but you are still in pain, be sure to seek medical advice.

5 interesting yoga exercises for healthy feet

Yoga has quickly grown in popularity because of its tremendous benefits to a person’s body. One of the most appreciated benefits is healthy feet which come as a result of engaging in certain yoga exercises that are responsible for strengthening your balance as you learn to develop your foundation and stay grounded.

Here are 5 interesting yoga exercises that will help you have healthy feet.

Practicing the supine bound angle pose

Practicing the bound angle pose while on your back helps to stretch your hips at the same time releasing your back. While doing this, you can add a tennis ball as a prop and hold it between the soles of your feet. This will help add an additional massage as well as intensify the stretching of your hips while you increase the deftness of your feet.

Practicing the downward facing dog

As you practice the downward facing dog which is one of the introductory yoga poses you can add a little twist in it by raising your heels. This will help in providing a really good stretch for your feet. The task of lifting your heels up and down will help in stimulating and stretching your feet muscles thereby strengthening them and thereby keeping you safe from painful foot problems.

Practicing the mountain pose

The mountain pose is also one of the basic yoga poses that helps in teaching you to be grounded thereby finding your balance. During this pose you can incorporate toe lifts as well as curls which help in redistributing balance. This has a tremendous benefit in tuning your feet and activating your foot arches.

Practicing the legs up the wall pose

The legs up the wall pose is one of the restorative yoga poses that is meant to help in reversing blood flow with the purpose of relieving tired and swollen feet. While doing this, you can add toe crunches which have the added benefit of activating and strengthening your feet.

Practicing the bound angle pose

The bound angle pose is meant to help in stretching your hips as you relax your mind. Adding a foot massage while you do this has tremendous benefits as it allows greater circulation which helps in relieving pain as well as building awareness about how your feet feel.

The next time you are doing your yoga poses be sure to add these simple yet very beneficial twists and get to experience the tremendous benefits on your feet. Keep in mind that balance starts from the feet therefore the healthier they are the more likely you are to enjoy the rest of your yoga poses.

Yoga – 6 essential poses for beginners

Yoga has a wide array of poses and this might feel very intimidating for a beginner as they wonder whether they will be able to grasp all of them. You don’t need to put such pressure on yourself after all you came to the yoga class for relaxation. The idea is to grasp some of the basic poses that will help you ease into more complex poses as you continue advancing in your sessions.

Here are 6 essential yoga poses for beginners that will prove very valuable as you advance your sessions.

The mountain pose

As the name suggests, mountain pose essentially teaches you to form a stable base and this will come in handy when doing all your standing poses. Whereas it may feel just like sanding as you begin doing it, you will soon realize that plenty happens in the background. You will get a better understanding of how to firmly ground your feet while feeling the earth which is below you.

The downward facing dog

The downward facing dog is one of the most widely used poses that help to achieve stretching for your entire body as well as strengthening it. In the beginning, you will hold the pose for short periods but as you advance, you will hold the pose for much longer periods.

The plank

Planks essentially help you learn how to balance your hands as you use the rest of your body to support yourself. When you do it frequently you develop better abdominal strength as you learn how to use your breathing to help you maintain more challenging poses.

The triangle

The triangle is one of the poses you do while on your feet and is mainly used as a stretching exercise for the sides of your waist. It has additional benefits such as strengthening your legs as well as toning your entire body, and it also helps in opening up your lungs.

The tree

The tree is a pose that you do while standing on one foot and it helps you learn how to achieve balance for your body. It’s one of the best poses that teaches focus and clarity of thought as well as good breathing techniques.

The seated forward bend

The seated forward bend is a pose that prepares you to learn how to breathe even as your body is exposed to uncomfortable postures. This pose will additionally help in stretching your hamstrings, as well as your upper and lower back and sides. It’s one of the best poses to help you open up your body. As a word of caution, whenever you attempt this pose and you feel a sharp pain from any part of your body, you must stop immediately.

These are just six out of the over 300 yoga poses so you still have a long journey in front of you. A mastery of these six will however give you better preparation for the others. Just remember, practice, practice and more practice.

Here are the 3 most popular types of yoga

From our previous post, we had a brief overview of the 9 types of yoga that are practiced globally. We have decided to break it further down to the most popular types that are practiced by yoga enthusiasts globally. The thing that makes them popular is the benefits they bring to the person.

Here are the 3 most popular types of yoga that you definitely must try out that’s if you haven’t already.

Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is basically the beginner’s class and the best introduction to yoga. Technically, it’s actually not a form of yoga but rather an overview of all the other types of yoga. As we mentioned in our previous post, hatha yoga is mostly about learning the basics therefore the classes tend to involve much slower movements that involve stretching and breathing, and holding each pose for a couple of breaths. This form helps you master your breathing and maintaining of poses and is a really great remedy for stress at the same time offering a good workout.

Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga is an advanced form that focuses on learning sequenced movements. This type consists of a series of six sequenced yoga poses that have to be done in that very specific sequence during each class. Regardless of the studio you go to, the sequence of poses does not change because it’s a global standard. Each of these sequenced movements target different parts of your body therefore once you complete all six, you will have given your body a complete transformation. The first couple of sessions will be led by the instructor and once you get a grasp of the sequence, you can practice on your own.

Kundalini yoga

Kundalini yoga is one of the oldest forms of yoga and is quickly gaining traction in the west. It’s all about a combination of singing, chanting and meditating as you perform physical exercises that are coupled with some intense breath work. It’s all about realizing deeper self-awareness and is best suited for spiritual practice. This is the form of yoga that most people turn to when they want to raise the intensity of their sessions as it provides a combination of spiritual, mental as well as a physical workout.

Whereas these may be the 3 most popular types of yoga, you shouldn’t feel pressured into making them your first choice. Generally speaking, yoga is a personal choice therefore it’s more advisable to pick the types that work best for you. Take your time and have a feel of all the available types of yoga so that you can determine which work best for you.

These are the 9 types of yoga you should know

If you are thinking about starting yoga or you have actually made the decision to start doing it, it’s important for you to have a better understanding of the available types of yoga and their individual applications and benefits. Different studios will focus on specific types therefore it’s important for you to have a clear understanding of the type you are looking for depending the benefits you want.

Here are the 9 types of yoga that you should know.

1 Hatha yoga

Hatha yoga is mostly about learning the basics therefore the classes tend to involve much slower movements that involve holding each pose for a couple of breaths. This is actually the best type for beginners.

2 Vinyasa yoga

Vinyasa yoga is mostly about getting your heart rate up. It’s much faster paced and focused on linking your body movements with your breath. This type will be appreciated by athletes because of its fast pace and continuous movement.

3 Iyengar yoga

Iyengar yoga is more about technique. This form focuses on precision, detail and body alignment when doing each pose. Here plenty of props will be used therefore you need to come prepared. If you are a detailed oriented person, you will definitely enjoy this.

4 Ashtanga yoga

Ashtanga yoga is more about learning sequenced movements. This type consists of a series of six sequenced yoga poses that have to be done in that very specific sequence during each class. This will definitely be enjoyed by perfectionists.

5 Bikram yoga

Bikram yoga is an intensive 90 minute session that has to be done under very specific heat conditions that is a room with a temperature of about 105 degrees with 40 per cent humidity. If you are looking to break a sweat, this is definitely where you should be.

6 Hot yoga

Hot yoga sessions are also conducted in heated rooms and are also intense sessions that will require you to dig a little deeper and discover your limits. This is the best form for people who enjoy tough workouts and breaking a sweat.

7 Kundalini yoga

Kundalini yoga is all about a combination of singing, chanting and meditating as you perform physical exercises that are coupled with some intense breath work. It’s all about realizing deeper self-awareness. This is the best form if you are looking for spiritual practice.

8 Yin yoga

Yin yoga is much slower paced and more meditative form that focuses on stretching and unwinding. It mostly targets a person’s deeper connective tissues and fascia, and helps in restoring elasticity and length.

9 Restorative yoga

As the name suggest, restorative yoga is meant to help you experience a very deep form of relaxation. It’s very relaxed and slow and sometimes it may feel as though you’re not doing anything. This form is best for people dealing with anxiety, stress, insomnia or even athletes in recovery.

Ultimately, you are free to practice any of these forms of yoga but it’s generally advisable for you to slowly ease into it especially for the more intensive types.

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